Candy Corn and Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Candy corn is a confection in the United States and Canada, popular primarily around Halloween. Candy corn was created in the 1880s by George Renninger of the Philadelphia, PA-based Wunderle Candy Company. The three colors of the candy – a broad yellow end, a tapered orange center, and a pointed white tip – mimic the appearance of kernels of corn. Each piece is approximately three times the size of a real kernel from a ripe or dried ear.  Note:there are 140 calories in 19 pieces of Brach Candy Corn . 

Halloween is a treasured American holiday -- and it is one where candy rules. Stores begin devoting aisles to trick-or-treating booty for weeks if not months before the 31st. It has been reported that the average American eats 24 pounds of candy a year, and most of that is likely consumed right around this time.

The top selling candy: Candy Corn. Americans purchase over 20 million pounds of it a year, though it is unlikely that every last one of those millions of candies was actually consumed.

Did you know that Candy Corn is the most searched-for candy term in Google -- more popular than candy apples, gummy worms and candy pumpkins?

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Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Cook's notes: This was a recent prize winning soup from a contest at BHG. And in my book it does get the prize. The hearty soup is packed with flavor and perfect for these chilly autumn nights.
Serves 6 

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup each of  diced carrots, celery and onion
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 TB. butter or olive oil
• 1 container low sodium chicken broth (32 oz.)
• 2 cups dried medium egg noddles
• 1/2 tsp. each seasoned salt, dry mustard, chili powder
• 1/4 tsp. marjoram
• 1/4 tsp. curry powder
• dash ground pepper
• 3 TB. flour
• 2 cups diced cooked chicken
• 1/2 cup half and half
• 1/3 cup peas
• optional adding in 1 cup fresh broccoli

Directions:

• Reserve and set aside one cup of chicken broth. Whisk 3 TB. flour into the chicken broth
• In a large soup pot saute carrots, onions, celery and minced garlic in olive oil or butter for 8 minutes or until tender
• Stir in broth, reserved cup of broth with flour, noddles and chicken
• Bring to boil, reduce heat, simmer 10 minutes or until noddles are tender
• Whisk in half and half and peas simmer uncovered 5 minutes or until till thickened  

Serve with biscuits or garlic bread sticks